


30 Day OTP Challenge - Nohmmy

by snarkylittlespeedster (zom_bie)



Category: Marvel, Marvel (Comics), Young Avengers
Genre: M/M, Tommy is a little shit, nohmmy
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2014-06-18
Updated: 2014-09-28
Packaged: 2018-02-05 03:51:32
Rating: Not Rated
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 6
Words: 12,765
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/1804261
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/zom_bie/pseuds/snarkylittlespeedster
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>A continuing story of Noh-Varr and Tommy Shepherd and their antics together, done in the style of a 30 Day OTP Challenge.</p>
            </blockquote>





	1. Day 1 - Holding Hands

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> So, I'm new to the world of fic-writing (Or, at least, posting the fics that I write online), so I decided that this was the best way to start. I can't promise to post every single day, because between my job, roleplaying online, and real life things are pretty crazy, BUT I will post as often as possible! I like a good challenge, so I'm gonna try to see it through. (:
> 
> Also, this is going to be a continuing story, if I can manage it. I snagged my challenge list from [here](http://30dayotpchallenge.deviantart.com/journal/30-Day-OTP-Challenge-LIST-325248585), and I've got some ideas on how to keep the story flowing, even with the slightly more random ones in there. It's not going to flow like an actual story, of course, but I'm going to try to stick to a timeline with it. 
> 
> Hope you enjoy!

You couldn't always win.

You just couldn't. Tommy was of the belief that, ninety percent of the time, he lost, regardless of the situation -- He just couldn't seem to get a proper foothold in the world. It was particularly frustrating for him, since he always had good footing in a more literal sense. He just couldn't seem to find his metaphorical balance, and it was...defeating. Frustrating. Infuriating. Any of the above. 

Right now, though, it was definitely infuriating.

When he was upset, he went running. It was just what he did. So, he took off, ran for hours, weaving between cars and buildings and trees and darting across the ocean. He ran without a destination, without a purpose, trying to figure out where exactly he was trying to go. He couldn't figure it out on his own, so he resolved to let his feet decide for him.

When he finally slid to a stop, he was...surprised, and then a little mad at himself, deliberately turning his back on the scene. What the hell? Why would he end up here, in front of this stupid spaceship, rather than somewhere a little more... Well, shit, he didn't actually know what he was looking for, so it was hard to be mad at himself, but he could be angry with himself if he wanted to be, dammit, so he was going to be. He scowled, trying to decide what the next step was, because he definitely did _not_ want to just walk up to the ship and knock on it and talk to--

"Tommy?"

He tensed, his shoulders bunching up a little, and then turned around, his expression still sour. Well, that solved the problem of him having to knock, at least.

"What?" He asked, trying to sound as nonchalantly annoyed as possible, but even he could recognize the sharp, tense tone of his voice. Noh-Varr just quirked an eyebrow at him, in the stupidly elegant way he did damn near everything, and somehow it only frustrated him more. He crossed his arms, as if Noh-Varr was imposing on his time, which, in a way, he was. He was busy trying to figure out what in the hell he was trying to accomplish in this moment, both from running around aimlessly and sitting there steaming in front of the ship.

Noh-Varr watched him for a long moment, and Tommy felt himself heating up under his gaze. He almost felt as though his anger should be infectious, and Noh-Varr's complete immunity to it agitated him. It didn’t take him long to grow fully agitated, nearly boiling under the calm gaze of the Kree in front of him. “What do you _want_?” he snapped, curling his fists at his sides. Noh-Varr seemed to smirk, and it only drove him crazier.

“...You’re the one that ended up at my ship, Tommy.”

He faltered, realizing that Noh-Varr was entirely correct in that. “...Point, _but_ , how did you even know I was here?” he countered, determined not to lose this little stand-off completely. “I was literally standing here for like fifteen seconds.”

“You set off the proximity sensors on my ship.”

“Ah.” His scowl was still set firmly in place, his mood soured further. Still losing.

“...So what exactly brought you here?”

“Nothing!” Noh-Varr had barely finished asking his question before Tommy snapped back with an answer. He sighed, trying to backtrack a little and not seem so…touchy. “I just… I don’t know. I went for a run and I…ya know.” What was he supposed to say, that he decided to let his feet lead him and he ended up outside of Noh-Varr’s home? That may have been the truth, but there was no way in _hell_ that he was about to say that. 

Noh-Varr’s reply was as calm as his demeanor, and Tommy could _swear_ the guy looked amused. “No, I don’t.” Tommy wanted to scream in frustration. He couldn’t just let him off easy here, could he?

“I don’t know! I just sort of…ended up here.” He was frustrated, nearly vibrating with a contained angst that was threatening to burst out of him. Maybe he just needed to blow something up. That could be nice.

Noh-Varr watched him for another long moment before finally budging from his spot, stepping back so that the door was more open. “Well, if you ended up here, would you at least like to come in?”

Tommy paused, his lips pursing in thought. “I…sure, why not?” He gave an almost defeated sigh, and then trudged up to the ship, hopping inside of it and moving towards the cockpit, flopping down to sit in the co-pilot seat. He propped his feet up on the dash, feeling an odd surge of satisfaction when Noh-Varr wrinkled his nose slightly at his lack of manners. He reclined in the seat, crossing his arms behind his head and silently daring the other to tell him to take his feet off the dash, but he received no such direction. Instead, Noh-Varr sat in the pilot’s seat and pulled up the commands, bringing the ship to life.

Tommy sat up slightly, peering at what he was doing. “...Are we going somewhere?”

“Nowhere in particular. When I’m upset I generally like to just set the ship on cruise and watch what happens.”

Tommy relaxed back into the chair, suddenly feeling a little less belligerent. He huffed a small sigh, but otherwise kept quiet, watching as they rose into the sky, the ship silent but almost humming with a sort of contained energy. It was barely noticeable, but, relaxing the way that he was, it was almost like a sort of pleasant background noise that helped calm his raw nerves. As they started to rise higher, he took a deep breath, closing his eyes and moving his arms so that they were loosely crossed over his chest instead, allowing himself to relax a little. It was nice to fly away like this, to leave the problems of the world below him, where, in his opinion, they rightfully belonged.

“...So, are you going to tell me what’s wrong?” Tommy cracked an eye open, a brow raising to signify his displeasure. In doing so, however, he realized from his peripherals that they were leaving Earth’s atmosphere, and the sight was enough to make him open both eyes and turn his gaze forward, slightly entranced by the odd beauty of it.

“...It’s nothing.”

“Apparently.” Tommy heaved a sigh at Noh’s response. Of course the stupid alien couldn’t just leave well enough alone. He rolled his eyes dramatically, working his jaw lightly as he mulled over whether or not he actually wanted to humor him with a reply.

He let out another long exhale before answering. “...Let’s just say that my parents and I still don’t get along well, after, what, four years?” He refused to look at Noh-Varr after speaking, not wanting to see that stupid look that Noh always gave him when he spoke about his personal life, as if it were some uncharted territory waiting to be explored.

He didn’t receive a reply after a few moments, though, and so he finally spared a glance towards Noh-Varr, surprised to find the other looking out the windshield as well, though his calm demeanor was nothing close to unexpected. He pressed his lips together and turned his gaze forward once more, scowling a bit. They sat in silence for a few long moments, and Tommy felt his irritation begin to ebb away once more. He felt himself start to relax again, the irritation from admitting his problem seeping away into a familiar calm that came with cruising amongst the stars. 

Almost as if on cue, Noh-Varr spoke up again. “...And? What happened?”

Tommy faltered, unprepared to take on the question now that he wasn’t agitated, and ready to pop off with some sarcastic and likely rude remark. He fumbled for words for a moment, but decided to keep quiet, inhaling deeply. He let the peaceful environment they had built envelop him for a few moments longer before he worked up an answer.

“I just…” He paused, his eyes downcast as he searched for the words, feeling oddly vulnerable as he tried to explain the reason for his previous angst. “I talked to my mom,” he admitted, his voice quieter than he would have liked for it to have been. “It…didn’t go well.”

This time, there was no extended pause before Noh-Varr answered. “What did she say?”

He took a deep breath, swallowing thickly. “She, uh… She told me I belonged in prison, and uh…” He lifted a hand to push through his hair and then wipe down his face, propping his chin in it after so that he was shielding a little bit of his face from Noh. “I was telling her, like, the stuff that they were…doing, there. She… She, uh…”

Noh-Varr remained quiet as he struggled for words, keeping his gaze on him, though it was soft. Tommy pushed his hand through his hair again, agitated at the mere thought of what she had said. “She told me...that she signed off for ‘experimental surgeries’ so that they could try and get rid of my mutant gene.”

He couldn’t sit still. He shifted, letting his hand dangle off the armrest, and leaned the opposite way in the seat, lifting his feet from the dash and then sitting up a little more, only to slump down and press his face into his other hand. He felt nearly ashamed, admitting as much. Hell, who wouldn’t? He didn’t even know if his mom hated mutants; he was pretty sure she just hated _him_. There had just been this small, stupidly hopeful part of him that thought that, just maybe, if he reached out to her after no contact for years, she would have responded with something a little less… _spiteful_. He didn’t feel like going into details about what she said during their conversation, because he was pretty sure that if he did, he would just end up wanting to blow something up again.

Noh-Varr didn’t respond, which didn’t surprise him. What did you _say_ to something like that? Hell, _he_ certainly didn’t know. He hadn’t been able to reply, himself. He just started running. He had felt so overwhelmed with nerves, so incredibly anxious and angry and upset, he hadn’t known what to do with himself. If he were honest with himself, the only reason he felt the need to make something explode was to try and alleviate the feeling that he was going to do just that if he didn’t find some sort of outlet, and yet, upon boarding the ship, he had managed to find peace. He honestly wasn’t even sure why he had decided to tell Noh-Varr in the first place; he certainly hadn’t intended to tell _anyone_ , let alone some stupid half-roach alien boy he’d been spending all of his time with recently.

He covered his eyes with his hand, not wanting to look at Noh-Varr after admitting what had happened between him and his mother. “I mean, how fucked up is that, right?” he croaked out, clearing his throat and not budging from his position.

He felt something touch his free hand, and he almost flinched away, but soon he realized that Noh-Varr was twining their fingers together, obviously attempting to give him some sort of comfort. He allowed him to, though he kept his own hand limp -- that is, he did until he felt Noh give him a reassuring squeeze. He slowly wrapped his fingers to curl against the hand of the larger man, shifting so that the hand covering his eyes was covering his mouth instead, if only to keep him from spouting off anything he shouldn’t, and glanced at the stars outside once more.

He felt like he lost in most aspects of his life, but this time, at least, it was made a little easier to bear.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Okay, so one of my headcanons is that the reason that Tommy doesn't get along with his parents and was a trouble child is because they hate mutants -- or him, they never really clarified, but they at the very least hated _his_ mutant powers. Also, the reason I said that his mother signed off on experimental surgeries is because then they could at least kind of get away with experimenting on Tommy at a facility that's legal and not necessarily run by "bad guys".
> 
> Also, in this fic I was aiming to show a more subtle side to their relationship. Noh-Varr provides a sense of calm to Tommy, which is why he subconsciously seeks him out. Not only that, but Noh's a little bit tactful in how he approaches getting Tommy to come out with what's bothering him. The way that I write Tommy, the only other way to do that is to make him really really mad. Fuel his anger until he starts spouting off about what's pissing him off before he can realize that that's what he's doing. Let me know if you think I did that well!
> 
> Anyway, this is the first fic I've ever posted up online! (Since my Peterick days back in middle school, anyway... ahaha) So please, let me know what you think! Constructive criticism is very appreciated!


	2. Day 2 - Cuddling

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> On the ship, Noh-Varr gives a cheesy explanation of why a certain, beautiful planet reminds him of Tommy.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> So I know it's not much, but having over twenty hits and one kudos on my first chapter has me feeling pretty good about myself. n.n Thank you guys! I'm actually pretty nervous about posting stuff, so it's all really really appreciated.

Tommy could get used to this.

He was currently stretched out on the surprisingly comfortable bed of Noh-Varr’s spotless room in his ship, marred only by the random belongings of Tommy’s that were strewn about. Sometimes Noh got onto him about cleanliness, but the more rebellious side of Tommy liked these little altercations. They never ended on a negative note; they just sort of yelled at each other for a little while and then continued about their day as if nothing had happened. Hell, if anything, Tommy would say that the majority of their “bonding time” was achieved during these arguments.

Noh-Varr’s ship was quickly turning into a place of refuge for Tommy. He found that he enjoyed himself the most when he was a passenger aboard the vessel, especially when it was in the air -- Or, rather, when it was in space. There was something oddly soothing about being thousands of miles away from everyone, away from all the stupid bullshit that seemed to plague him on a regular basis. The only real downside to it was that he couldn’t just walk out the door and go on a run.

It had also proved to be exciting on numerous occasions. Traveling the galaxy with a wanted Kree hybrid supersoldier had it’s dangers, but they were really more of perks to Tommy. When they passed by someone in space, there was about a 50 percent chance that they were going to attack and attempt to either kill or contain them to turn in for some sort of ransom money. Noh-Varr said there probably wasn’t even any ransom out on his head, he was just generally disliked by the Supreme Intelligence of this world, and the Kree were natural enemies of the Skrulls, which meant that the two most common aliens they ran into out there were the two most likely to try and kill them.

Noh-Varr had been worried about Tommy at first, pressing the importance of his safety and trying to convince him that they should stick to Earth, but Tommy wasn’t having it. He was excited by the danger, and he’d be damned if he’d miss out on an opportunity to kick some supremacist alien ass -- with no offense intended towards Noh, of course. In fact, Tommy would be downright pissed if Noh decided he was going to go get into these fights without him. Not only was he missing out on the fun, but what the hell kind of idiot went out to fight hordes of aliens by themselves?

That particular conversation happened to be taking place right at that moment, with Tommy sprawled out on Noh-Varr’s bed while the alien tidied up his room (not that it needed it). Noh-Varr scoffed lightly, leaning down to scoop up the jeans Tommy had discarded earlier in favor of wearing boxers and a t-shirt around.

“I have faced much greater odds than that, Tommy.”

“Oh, yeah? Like what.” It wasn’t a question, but a challenge.

“I once declared war on Earth. All of it.”

“Uh-huh. And how did that turn out for you?” By the patronizing look that he was given, Tommy could tell that his comment had struck home. He flashed him a brilliant grin, rolling onto his stomach and dragging over a pillow to shove his arms under, his chin resting on top of it. He was in clear view of a window, and somehow he never actually tired of watching the stars slowly pass them by.

“Fact of the matter is, _I’m_ that kind of idiot.”

Tommy chuckled. “Point.” He smirked, not bothering to move when he felt the bed shift under Noh’s weight. He felt the larger man settle in beside him, laying a little bit on top of him, and gave a dramatic huff of air. “God, you’re heavy,” he complained, though it was good-naturedly.

“I am made up of a denser mass than humans.” The proclamation sounded almost proud, and Tommy snorted.

“Sounds like an excuse to me. Oof, hey!” He gave a slightly breathless laugh as Noh-Varr laid fully on his back, squirming under him for a moment before falling still. He was stronger than the average person, thankfully, something he knew was due to his mutant gene, so it wasn’t entirely uncomfortable. In fact, it was almost...nice, having Noh pressed on top of him like that. He gave a dramatic sigh for effect, but settled down, staring out the window as they slowly orbited around a planet that was a light green color, clouds swirling along the surface.

They laid like that for a few minutes, just enjoying the view, Noh’s head resting on Tommy’s shoulder. He heaved a contented sigh after a while, allowing his eyes to slide shut, actually enjoying the feeling of Noh-Varr’s weight on him, enveloping and comforting him.

“You know…” The sound of Noh’s voice forced Tommy to wake up a little, realizing after a moment that he had, in fact, been falling asleep. “This planet reminds me of you.”

Tommy cracked his eyes open again, peering at the planet, which was now in clear view of the bedroom window. “Why’s that?” he mumbled, his voice slightly slurred with the exhaustion he felt.

“Well, the most obvious reason is the coloring.” There was a slightly mischievous tone to Noh’s voice, and Tommy rolled his eyes.

“Oh, right. Green and white, how original.” He snorted lightly, settling back down into his pillow and trying not to let the warm, fuzzy tug of sleep overtake him. “I take it you like me in spandex.”

Noh chuckled, a deep, almost comforting sound that resonated from his chest, vibrating against Tommy’s back. “Well, yes, but… More specifically, it reminds me of your eyes. And, of course, your hair.”

Tommy rolled his eyes so dramatically he was sure that Noh-Varr could sense it from behind him. “You’re a big fuckin’ cheeseball, you know that?” he asked, though there was no real venom behind his voice. He wasn’t quite sure how he felt about being compared to a planet, but he supposed it was flattering… Hell, it might have even been a little cool, not that he would admit it. That was, as long as Noh-Varr wasn’t implying he was big and round, which Tommy most obviously wasn’t.

Noh-Varr smiled, and Tommy could feel it against the side of his face, so he laid his head on its side so he wouldn’t have to deal with Noh being cheesy _and_ smiling all over him. He kept his eyes trained on the planet as Noh began to speak, though -- he was actually a little bit curious to see what exactly about the planet reminded Noh of him.

“Maybe, but… That’s not the only reason why.” Tommy didn’t reply, waiting patiently for the other to continue. “I’ve visited the planet before. Krekosha. It…hums with energy. Things are always moving, always changing. It’s a slightly…harsher environment,” he admitted, and Tommy chuckled. _That_ sounded about right. “But…I like it. It’s fast-paced, in some areas there is poverty and crime, but there’s something nearly regal in the way that it holds it own, despite all setbacks.”

That was… _definitely_ a compliment. Tommy grumbled lightly and buried his face in the pillow, attempting to hide the blush that was creeping up his neck to his cheeks at an annoying pace. He could practically feel Noh-Varr’s satisfied smirk aimed directly at him, but he said nothing more, rolling so that he was beside Tommy and wrapping an arm around him. Tommy didn’t budge for a long moment, and then finally sighed, turning to face him and burying his face into his chest.

“Maybe we’ll go there sometime,” he grumbled gently, hiding his embarrassment behind weak attempts at annoyance.

A satisfied hum vibrated through Noh-Varr’s chest, and he drew his arms tighter around Tommy. “I think you would like it,” he said, and when the alien pressed a kiss to the top of his head, Tommy let it slide. He could do that, at least this once.

Hell, he could actually get used to this.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> N'awwh, Tommy, admit it: You enjoy the attention, even if you like to grumble about it.
> 
> Anyway, let me know what you guys think!
> 
> I think I'm also going to start taking submissions of ideas and stuff on my tumblr: snarkylittlespeedster.tumblr.com  
> I'm super friendly, I don't bite, and I'm so into this fandom that I'm ready to actually get involved in it ahaha. I've also got some fanart I'm about to start posting, one of which is my header pic thing in my theme. c:


	3. Day 3 - Gaming/Watching a Movie

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Tommy isn't too happy when Noh, who's brand new to gaming, beats him in a game. Noh then rigs his Xbox to make him feel better.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> This one was actually really fun to write! Also, I love everyone who's been giving attention to my fics, especially ridiculousabsurdity and entrthematrix on tumblr, because they've been reblogging my links to my chapters quite a bit! Much love <3
> 
> Also, many thanks to ailyn_moreau for being a wonderful beta!

The sun shone through the blinds of Tommy’s apartments, the broken plastic casting small rays of light on the speedster as he dragged over two beanbags in front of his TV, which was probably the nicest thing in the studio. “Alright, roach, prepare to eat shit!” he declared, plopping down into one of the beanbags and scooping up his Xbox controller.

Noh-Varr settled onto the other beanbag, a little awkwardly at first, slightly too large for the seat. He finally slouched down, mimicking Tommy slightly as he settled down. Tommy was comfortably splayed out, his legs stretched in front of him, scooted so far down in the beanbag that his butt was nearly touching the floor, but he seemed to be more than comfortable. He began pressing buttons on the controller, quickly navigating the home screen to log them into the game.

“What are we…playing, exactly?” Noh-Varr asked, looking from the speedster back to the TV.

Tommy shrugged. “Call of Duty. Basic first-person shooter. You play any video games before?”

“Ah… No.” Noh-Varr glanced over to see Tommy shoot him an incredulous look, just before his eyes sparked with something he was oddly suspicious of being triumph.

“No? Shame.” Tommy turned back to the game, fingers moving quickly as he logged them online, tugging Noh-Varr’s controller from his hands to log him into a guest account.

“You sound absolutely mortified at my lack of experience.” The corner of Noh’s lips twitched up in a smirk, and Tommy gave a loose shrug in response, tossing back the controller, which he caught.

“Yeah, well. It’ll be fun, is all.” His grin betrayed his true feelings, however; Noh-Varr had a feeling that Tommy was really just excited that he had just found himself some easy prey. Noh smirked and turned his gaze to the controller, quickly memorizing the button layout and turning his eyes back to the screen as he tested out a button or two.

“Hey, _hey!_ Don’t push buttons, dude, you almost logged us out of the lobby. I’ve gotta set up my classes.” He was flying through various options, and Noh-Varr tilted his head curiously.

“Do I need to do that?”

“Uhh, well…” Tommy gave a little shrug. “I mean, you’ll have my setup, I think. It’s not yours, but ya know. You gotta learn how it works this round anyway.” He exited out of the screen, seeming content, just as a timer began to count down. Noh-Varr didn’t reply, glancing at the screen so that he wouldn’t miss anything important.

The match started, and Noh-Varr ran through a quick assessment of each button and what it did. After he had successfully determined the function of each button in relevance to the game, he moved forward, experimenting with the controls.

“Click down the left analog to run, left trigger aims, right trigger shoots,” Tommy rattled off, unaware that Noh had already figured most of that out on his own -- That, or he saw the random scoping and shooting and throwing of grenades and assumed the worst of his…whatever Noh was. What was the term Kate had described to him once? Friend with benefits? He supposed it was a fitting term.

“Hmm… My person seems to look around very slowly.” Tommy glanced at Noh-Varr, seemingly surprised by what he had said.

“Oh, uh… Pause. Click start. Go to options. Up the sensitivity.” The speedster’s eyes were immediately back on the game, and a quick glance told Noh-Varr that Tommy generally did rather well while playing. He obediently pulled up the start menu, flicking through the options until he found the ones that Tommy was referring to, turning it all the way up and backing out of everything. “Ah, much better.”

“Shit, did you go to ten?” Tommy asked, sounding distracted.

“I did. Is that odd?”

“Well… Just most people can’t handle it, especially not if they’re new to games.” The quick glance that Tommy shot him was definitely a suspicious one, but he didn’t say anything as he turned his attention back to the screen, suddenly looking much more determined to win.

“What are the objectives?” Noh-Varr asked, finally working his way through the map, on the lookout for enemies.

“It’s free-for-all. Shoot anyone you see.” As if on cue, Noh-Varr heard gunshots on the screen, and his character seemed to die.

“...Right.” He felt he had obtained enough information, and he moved with new purpose through the game, checking around corners and scanning for enemies. He saw one, aimed his gun, and made a precise shot, though he was surprised to find that the person didn’t actually die, and ended up shooting him instead. He paused, confused and finding himself at a slight loss of words. “I…what? I shot him in the neck. By all realistic means, he should have died, and he _certainly_ shouldn’t have been able to shoot me in response.” He found himself considerably more irritated by the fact that he’d been killed than he should have been.

Tommy just sniggered. “It’s a game. It’s not totally realistic, just close to it. Don’t stop shooting until they die, and when the game fucks up, rage on.” As an afterthought, he added, “Sniper rifles are pretty good about accuracy, though.”

Noh-Varr allowed his character to “respawn”, as the game called it, and grumbled to himself in annoyance. All right, then, if those were the rules. “How do I use a sniper rifle?” he asked, slightly surprised to find that he was asking the question was asked through gritted teeth.

“Start, choose class. You’ll get it next time you die.”

It was all the information that Noh needed. He selected the appropriate gun, and was somehow shot while making his selection, though it only served to bring him closer to reaching his goal. He pulled out the pistol and began searching the map, mowing down anyone in his way. He died once more, but not before finding a perfect place to perch, with a clear view of the main battlefield. 

After that, it was smooth sailing. He began picking off enemies as they wandered into his field of view, raising his kill count dramatically.

“Aw, sonofa--! I mean… Good shot.” Tommy seemed less than pleased about being killed, and it drew a chuckle from Noh-Varr. 

“Good cover.” His luck continued to improve as the game went on. Eventually, people seemed to realize where he was hiding, and he found another, better spot. Before long, his success had Tommy upright, sitting forward in his beanbag with his knees pulled up on either side of him, staring intently at the screen as he angrily protested Noh’s success.

“How are you so good at this?!”

“I _am_ a supersoldier, Tommy. I was literally bred for war.” Noh-Varr was well aware of the smugness that was evident in his own voice.

“Yeah, but this is a _game_!”

“Yes, and I’d like to inform you that your technology is very primitive.”

“Yeah, well-- Ah, dammit, I’m _gonna_ kill you!”

“You seem to be failing in that endeavor thus far.”

“ _Fuck!_ I swear to god, if you shoot me again…”

“I wasn’t aware that you were religious.”

“Oh, go to hell-- _Ugh goddammit whywon’tyoudiealreadyyoustupidfuckingroach!_ ” Tommy’s words were quickening into a near-buzz by that point, but Noh couldn’t resist the urge to push him just a little bit further. 

“Roaches are capable of surviving even nuclear conditions.”

“...I hate you. No, don’t laugh, I really hate you right now-- _What?!_ How are you even _finding_ me this often?!”

“You keep walking in front of me.” By the end of the match, Noh-Varr was boasting one of the most self-satisfied smirks he could muster, his eyes glinting with mischief. Tommy seemed much less amused, tossing down his controller and standing up with an annoyed sigh. Noh-Varr quirked a brow as the boy moved towards the small kitchen, leaning to the side so he could keep him in his line of sight. “Do you not want to play anymore?” he asked, almost disappointed at the thought.

“Nah, maybe later.” Tommy tried to sound nonchalant, but Noh could read the tension both in his body language and in the underlying tones of his voice. He pressed his lips together, watching as Tommy opened the fridge and rifled through it for a soda, and then stood, grabbing Tommy’s controller and setting them both down beside the TV before observing the Xbox.

“...Do you mind if I borrow this for a little while?” He asked, picking up the bulky box, peering at all the wires attached to it. Tommy glanced at him, shrugging and cracking open his soda.

“Uh… I guess. Just don’t fuck it up, and don’t hold onto it for too long. It’s the only semi-entertaining thing I have to do when I’m home.”

Noh-Varr nodded in understanding, turning it off and working on disconnecting all the wires. He wrapped them around the box, and stood, moving towards the door. “I’ll be back in a little while,” he called, and Tommy stuck his head out from the kitchen, peering him and then the TV, beside which the controllers were still neatly stored.

“Uh… Don’t you need the controllers?” He sounded obviously confused, but Noh-Varr shook his head.

“No. I will return shortly.” He closed the door behind him, watching as Tommy slowly shook his head, shrugging and walking towards his bed.

\-----

Tommy was fast asleep by the time Noh-Varr returned, laying on his stomach with his face buried in his pillow, which he had trapped in between his arms, almost as if he were afraid someone were going to try to steal it from him.. His face was squished up by the pillow, his mouth hanging open with a little stream of drool seeping onto the it.

Noh-Varr carefully set the items he had brought with him aside, creeping over to Tommy and watching him for a long moment, contemplating whether or not he wanted to wake him up. He licked his lips lightly, leaning down so that his face was hovering a foot or so over the boy, and smiled lightly, speaking his name gently. “...Tommy. Wake up.”

The speedster stirred, peeking his eyes open and glancing up at Noh, and then rolled the opposite direction quickly, sitting up and staring at him with wide eyes. “...Dude!” he exclaimed, looking from the door and back to Noh. “...You can’t just… Sneak into my house like that. Scared the shit out of me.” It was honestly a little comical to see Tommy like that, sitting up in the bed with a hand pressed to his chest, as if he were some sort of damsel in distress.

Noh-Varr’s lips quirked upwards. “Sorry. I didn’t mean to scare you.”

“You didn’t--” Tommy seemed to think better of his protest and sighed, lowering his hand from his chest and giving him a slightly furtive look. “...Did you bring back my xbox?”

Noh-Varr feigned a sheepish expression. “In… A manner of speaking.”

_That_ got Tommy moving. He sat up quickly, all but leaping out of the bed. “What do you mean, ‘ _in a manner of speaking_ ’? I specifically said not to fuck it up!”

Noh shrugged lightly. “I think you might like what I’ve done with it.”

Tommy paused, his agitation seeming to disappear as he tilted his head to the side curiously, glancing around the apartment. “...Huh? Where is…what’s that?” He wandered over to a small black box, hardly larger than a phone, and scooped it up, turning it over in his hands. It was extremely light-weight, and had a small circle cut into one of the sides of it. He held it up for Noh-Varr to see, looking perplexed.

He nodded towards it. “That would be your Xbox.” Tommy fixed him with the driest, most disbelieving look he could muster, glancing from him and back down to the small black box multiple times. 

“...This…is my Xbox.” He didn’t sound quite convinced, but Noh-Varr nodded in encouragement.

“With a few upgrades.” He held out his hand, taking it from Tommy, and set it down on the floor, glad that the lights in the apartment were already turned off for Tommy’s nap. He touched the top of it in the middle, and a small display hovered above it, much like the controls in his ship. He pushed a few buttons, and the little circle in the front lit up, casting a crystal-clear image onto the nearby wall, showing the Xbox logo as it started up. A quick glance in Tommy’s direction showed him staring with his eyes nearly popping out of his skull, quickly moving to Noh-Varr’s side and peering at it.

Noh continued his explanation, showing Tommy how to work it. “I used an old projector from the ship and installed the programs from your console onto it. Your controllers should still connect, you don’t need to bother with a TV, and the projection should be a much higher resolution than your TV. Also, if you want, you can access TV channels. Here, I’ll show you how…”

The next hour or so was spent with them experimenting with the new console, and after a while, Tommy even let Noh sit behind him, his chin resting on his shoulder as he watched Tommy play a game, deciding to opt out and allow him to play one meant for a single user to avoid upsetting him again. He was certain that he had made things better with Tommy when, a few hours later, he dozed off, his head resting on one of Noh-Varr’s arms, slumped back against the kree, sleeping peacefully.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Over two thousand words on this one! Again, it was really fun to write. Tommy's a sleepy little thing sometimes.


	4. Day 4 - On a Date

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Noh tries to be romantic. Tommy's a little indifferent, but is pleasantly surprised by Noh's choice when it turns out to be a crazy party... On another planet.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Ahhh this one was fun. I swear, my chapters keep getting longer and longer! Also, once again many thanks to those who are reading, giving kudos, and commenting! The likes and reblogs from my tumblr are awesome as well, thank you guys so much for the continued support! It might not seem like much, but the attention these fics are getting are insanely flattering. n.n Anyway, let the party begin!

“Just trust me.” Noh-Varr sat in the pilots seat, his fingers moving effortlessly over the controls as Tommy peered out of the windshield, his eyes narrowed suspiciously.

“I don’t know…”

“Can’t you just trust me? You’ll like where I’m taking you, I promise.” Noh-Varr sighed at the snort that Tommy replied with. “Or I could just not take you and we can head back to Earth…”

“No, no, by all means.” Tommy held up his hands defensively, moving around the co-pilot chair and dropping into it casually, once more propping his feet up on the dashboard. Noh-Varr sighed, pinching the bridge of his nose briefly, and the smirk he was given in response almost made him reconsider this whole “date” thing. The only thing keeping him from canceling was the fact that he actually knew that Tommy would appreciate it in the long run. The speedster was what some might consider hard to please, but Noh-Varr felt confident that he knew what made him tick, and what he enjoyed doing.

“Tommy, feet.” Noh’s voice was a little more stern than it had been a few minutes ago, but he was finding himself quickly agitated by Tommy’s behavior.

“What about them?” he asked, slouching diagonally in the chair so that his head could fall back over the side, his arms crossed loosely over his chest. Noh-Varr sighed, his hands flying across the controls as he set the ship to autopilot them to their destination. He glanced at Tommy, who was smirking at him lightly, and stood, reaching over to grab his feet and forcefully lift them from the dash, moving them to the ground. The smirk that the speedster had been wearing quickly turned to a scowl, and he stood up as well.

“It’s not like my shoes are dirty. I don’t get why you’re always so damned stiff,” he grumbled, turning to walk away. Noh-Varr bristled, following after him closely.

“Because you show a blatant lack of respect for my _things_ , Thomas. Not just my things, but my _home_.” He knew that calling the speedster by his full name would only serve to irritate him further, but he couldn’t help himself. He was annoyed, and he wasn’t in the mood for Tommy to just strut around ignoring him and talking back, especially not when he was attempting to do something nice for him. Their relationship was progressing, if slowly, and he was of the belief that his attempt at a date might be a little more warmly received. He should have known better, though; this was Tommy he was talking about. It was like he functioned on an entirely different plane, like his emotions worked backwards and just loved to baffle and confuse all who encountered them.

Then again, that was partially why he liked the boy. Whereas his twin was very…open about his feelings, expressing himself and how he felt on a regular basis, Tommy was different. The only emotions he seemed to regularly show were anger and happiness, and somehow the strange lack of balance in his moods appealed to Noh. He was imperfect, in a very alluring, captivating sense. He kept Noh on edge, something that most others failed to do, and thus he had stolen his attention, and his affection.

Tommy was less than happy when he whirled around to face Noh, his brows furrowed and his gaze harsh. Even like this, though, Noh found a sort of respect for him. Tommy may not have expressed all of his emotions on a regular basis, but when he did, he wielded them with deadly accuracy. His glares were stunning and intimidating, and if Noh were a lesser being he probably would stop in his tracks every time he was given that look.

“Yeah, but it’s not _hurting_ anything. I just don’t get why it’s got to be such a big fucking deal when, really, it’s not.” It was true. The argument that they were having was petty, stupid, and not worth the angry words they were exchanging over it. However, Noh-Varr couldn’t find it in himself to just let it slide; at least not yet.

“Is the fact that I have asked you to stop not enough?” he demanded, the irritation he felt towards Tommy evident in his voice.

“If I asked you to jump off a bridge, would you do it?” Tommy almost cringed at his comeback, as it reminded him of his days back in elementary school, but the words had escaped his mouth before he could consciously realize what he was saying.

“... _What_? No, why would you ask me to jump off of a bridge?” Noh-Varr stared at him in obvious confusion, unaware that he was reinforcing the fact that he did _not_ originate from Earth.

“Just…nothing. Nevermind.” He waved it off, turning to walk away from Noh, unwilling to continue with the fight. He was stopped by a strong hand on his arm, and he turned towards him, shooting him a glare and twisting his arm away, only for Noh to grab him by both of his shoulders and push him against the wall nearby, the action firm but not forceful enough to hurt him. His breath hitched a little, as it tended to do when he was pinned by the larger male in the way that he was, and he glowered at him heavily, trying not to let it show. “ _What_?” he snapped, not bothering to push him off. Noh-Varr was…pretty strong, and he didn’t feel like giving him an opportunity to prove that fact.

“Tell me what’s wrong, Tommy.” He met the intense, blue-eyed gaze of the alien and had to fight not to tear his own eyes away, forcing himself to keep eye contact, glaring at him angrily.

“Nothing’s _wrong_ , Noh, I just think it’s stupid that--”

“Tommy.” Noh-Varr’s voice was low and stern, but controlled. The glower on Tommy’s face unwillingly shifted into something a little more furtive. The alien’s gaze softened slightly, and he moved one hand from Tommy’s shoulder to grip his chin, scanning his face. “...You do realize that I’m attempting to do something nice for you, don’t you?”

Tommy couldn’t help but tear his gaze away at that, though he attempted to retain a little bit of pride by straightening up a little. “Yeah. So?”

“So…why does that bother you so much?”

Dammit. The stupid alien knew just how to get under his skin, and make him feel like he was some kind of open book that, despite all its locks and defenses, failed to keep the secrets contained within it. Hell, Noh could call him on shit that he didn’t even _know_ bothered him. He huffed a sigh, turning his gaze on him once more, and didn’t reply. Truthfully, he wasn’t even sure of what _to_ say. He swallowed thickly, trying to think of something, _anything_ to break this stupid, awkward tension that was building. He worked through a few possible responses, and then finally opened his mouth to give one a try, intending to try and avoid the subject altogether, only to be startled out of speech when the alien suddenly dipped his head and pressed himself closer.

The kiss he received next was unexpected. It shocked the hell out of him, honestly, and he found himself frozen, eyes wide, unable to force himself into action. When Noh-Varr pulled away, he was annoyed by the realization that he was absolutely dumbfounded, and possibly a little flustered. He probably looked it, too, which definitely annoyed him further.

Noh-Varr looked almost disappointed, and there was the slightest hint of worry behind his eyes. “...Do you not like me kissing you?” he asked, and for some reason the fact that he sounded like a kicked puppy had Tommy ready to explode. From what, he wasn’t quite sure, but it was a little overwhelming nonetheless.

“I-- What was-- Can’t you just-- Oh, fuck off,” he grumbled, finding himself unable to put his thoughts together. He didn’t pull away, though, and Noh-Varr took that as a sign that he could continue, which he did. It took Tommy a moment to reciprocate, but he finally did, opening his mouth slowly to allow the kiss to deepen. He could feel a flush building in his neck, moving up to his ears and his cheeks, but he ignored it, kissing the other male back almost thoughtfully. This was…strange. Yes, he and Noh had been flirting, sort of, but...they hadn’t kissed yet. They’d gotten a little close at times, but Tommy always pulled away, or squirmed out of his hold, or ran off. He couldn’t help it; he just panicked and ran away from the situation, because that was what he did. Maybe the fact that he hadn’t immediately rejected Noh’s advances this time had pushed him to finally seal the deal.

When Noh pulled away, Tommy was silent for a long moment, his brows furrowed inwards thoughtfully. “...Huh.”

“What?” Noh-Varr sounded amused, and it took Tommy a moment to realize that he’d actually spoken, drawing a response from the other.

“Hmm? Oh, uh…just that…I-I dunno, kissing a guy isn’t… _that_ much different from kissing a girl.” Noh-Varr began to look smug again, and Tommy flushed once more, feeling himself heat up. “Oh, fuck off,” he snapped again. “It’s weird. Just not…bad weird?” The strangest part had probably been that he was on the receiving end, and was the smaller of the two parties involved.

Noh-Varr hummed in response, and pressed closer against Tommy, his other arm moving to brace against the wall above him, a smirk playing at his lips. Tommy felt his heart jump into his throat, and his heart began to race, but he didn’t pull away, staring the other down. He slowly sucked in a breath of air, trying to be as inaudible as possible, and when the next kiss came, he was better prepared, leaning into it and allowing Noh to snake an arm around his middle, drawing him in closer and effectively pinning him against the wall. There was something… _nice_ about it, and Tommy decided that he could maybe get used to this. Hell, it wasn’t like Kate ever took him seriously. Maybe this could turn out to be…better.

\-----

A couple of hours later showed Tommy in an infinitely better mood. He emerged from the bathroom as they arrived to their destination, freshly showered, and pushing a hand through his hair. He thumbed the damp locks for a moment, and then darted to the front of the ship, allowing the speed in which he did so help along the drying process. He slid to a stop, a hand braced against the back of Noh-Varr’s seat as he peered out of the window, tilting his head. “What’s this?” he asked, glancing down at the alien, who smirked up at him before returning his attention to the controls so that they could land.

“...A party.” Tommy’s eyebrows shot up when Noh replied, and a grin spread across his face, his eyes locked on the flashing of the building they were approaching. It was a large, dome-shaped building, with intricate, abstractly shaped windows decorating the top and sides, contrasting with the shiny black material of the building and reflecting the colors of the lights. He was sure that from an above view they looked rather impressive, but from their vantage point they were cool nonetheless. The lights he could see emanating from inside were flashing different colors and speeds. The dull sound of the base from some sort of strange, electronic music that he’d never heard before was booming from inside, and he could just tell that the place was bursting with life.

It was his kind of place.

“Am I gonna be able to breathe here? I don’t have to like wear some weird helmet or anything do I? Are there drinks? Are we getting drunk? I mean, this is like, a real party right? Not just some pussy straightedge sort of thing where everyone dances like Billy and preaches abstinence right?” Tommy barely realized the words that were pouring from his mouth, nearly blending together in his sudden excitement. He was nearly vibrating against the chair, and Noh-Varr couldn’t help but laugh as he stood up.

“Yes, you can breathe. I researched it thoroughly before bringing you. No helmets unless you want one. Yes, there are drinks. It’s up to you whether or not we get drunk. Yes, it’s a real party.” Noh-Varr chuckled lowly, adding with a suggestive smirk. “No abstinence here.” He winked at him, moving towards his bedroom, the ship successfully parked, and stopped to glance at a mirror as he went. Of course, his appearance was as perfect always, with not even a hair out of place, aside from the few, purposeful strands that brushed against his forehead.

Tommy rolled his eyes, and would have commented, but he zipped to the bathroom to do the same. He was about to go to an _alien party_ after all. He couldn’t go in looking like some sort of slob. He admired himself in the mirror for a moment, before shrugging and deciding that he looked just fine, sticking his head out the door to call at his alien companion. “Noh! Hurry up, slowass, I’m ready to go!” There was no bite behind his words, and he grinned as he watched Noh walk out with a roll of his eyes, though he returned a smile.

“I am ready. Let’s go.” 

They stepped off of the ship, and Tommy turned to look around him in awe, his head tilted towards the sky. It was a deep, dark orange, streaked with teal, and it only served to excite him more. This was going to be _awesome_. He took a deep breath, and was satisfied with the fact that he didn’t immediately start choking from the alien atmosphere. It was a little heavy-feeling, but definitely doable.

He turned on his heel and flashed Noh-Varr a brilliant grin. “You ready? Come on, let’s go!” He swept his hand towards the crowd of aliens gathering near the front, turning to walk after them.

“Uh…slight problem.” Tommy froze, turning to look back at Noh, a brow quirking.

“What problem?” he asked, sounding unintentionally suspicious. He scowled slightly, actually excited to attend this party and get things going.

“We’re gonna have to sneak in.” At Noh’s reply, his grin returned, even bigger before.

“Wait, wait, so we’re going to a huge alien party _and_ we’re sneaking in? Why the fuck didn’t you say so earlier?” He gave a laugh, allowing Noh to lead, a mischievous smile on the alien’s face.

“I didn’t want to ruin the surprise. Also, I was worried that if I told you, you wouldn’t have stopped rushing me to get here.” Tommy _wanted_ to pop back with something witty and argumentative, but even he could admit that Noh was probably right. Hell, he was already getting impatient, and they were just making their way around the side of the dome. As soon as they were out of the immediate sight of any passerby, Noh took off, Tommy at his heels.

They came to a stop beside a triangular, angled window that was opened outwards a few feet, and Noh-Varr glanced around, glancing up at it. Tommy worked his jaw lightly, looking from it to Noh incredulously.

“Uh… You _do_ realize that I can’t just walk up to that, right? I mean, maybe I could run up the wall, but with the way that window’s open I’d just skewer myself.”

Noh-Varr gave Tommy an almost disapproving look. “Tommy. I’ve already thought this through. Have some patience. Perhaps some faith as well.” Tommy held up his hands, backing away and watching as the alien moved towards the dome. He jumped up, landing smoothly against the wall, moving to a near-crouch as he walked up its side as if it were nothing. Tommy pressed his lips together, watching him with furrowed brows; he had a tendency to forget what all the alien could do sometimes, despite the time they’d been spending together recently.

Noh-Varr reached the window, peered inside carefully, and the slipped inside. Tommy resisted the urge to yell at him indignantly, reminding himself that Noh had claimed to have thought this through. Not only that, but if the alien ditched him, Tommy could always steal his ship. He’d probably wreck it, but spite was a powerful weapon.

A few moments later, the window slowly started to open wider, and Noh-Varr appeared a few minutes later, the opening now a few feet taller than him. He held out his hand and gestured for Tommy to come up, and Tommy heaved a sigh, holding up a finger. He turned around and darted away, sliding to a stop after fifteen seconds or so of running, and then turned on his heel, running for the building again. He watched it approach, and prayed that he had the skill to pull this off successfully -- he really didn’t feel like breaking his nose when he was supposed to be breaking into this building instead.

He neared the dome, and jumped, just enough that when he hit the wall, he had the momentum to push himself up, running against the wall. He drew closer and closer to Noh, feeling himself slow as he gained height, and he pushed himself, also not in the mood to break his back trying to get in due to falling. Just as he felt himself losing his momentum, teetering on the edge of falling back down, he reached out his hand, finding the tight, secure grip of the alien above him. Noh-Varr tugged him up and over the edge, holding him steady so he wouldn’t fall down.

Tommy looked down at the ground he’d run up from, and gave a triumphant laugh, his free hand braced against the wall beside the window. He grinned, turning his attention inside of the building, and was nearly floored by the sight he was greeted with.

“Dude…” he mumbled, in awe of the massive building. They were in a slightly less-populated area of the building, on a higher level, but beyond the railing of the platform they were on, he could see where the real fun was. The lights were insane, and _everyone_ was moving. Aliens of all different shapes, sizes, and colors were dancing, bumping into each other and laughing and drinking colorful liquids and generally having a good time.

Tommy grinned, stepping down from the window’s ledge, and looked around. He turned back to look at Noh, mischief shining in his eyes. “Let’s fuckin’ party!”

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> So... I know the "date" part isn't really in this chapter, but it will be in the next one. This chapter and the next are both set at this otherworldly party, and are tied together. There will be plenty of crazy date-stuff between our two favorites soon!


	5. Day 5 - Kissing

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> At the party, Noh-Varr gives Tommy a taste of what he's capable of doing with his (hallucinogenic) saliva, and Tommy opens up a bit.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> OKAY SO I DIDN'T FINISH BY MIDNIGHT but I literally finished typing it at 12:05 so close enough. ENJOY THE STUFF. (it gets a tad steamy, but nothing explicit...yet. -suspense-)

The party was crazy, in the best way possible. Tommy was nearly impossible to keep up with, zipping from one end of the building to another, curiously exploring. He talked to everyone who would listen, asking questions that probably weren't appropriate, and after upsetting one particular, pink woman, he returned to Noh-Varr, grabbing his arm. “Dude, we didn’t come here to _not_ get drunk, I mean really.” He grinned, and pulled along a chuckling Noh-Varr, who was glad to see that his idea for an ideal date with Tommy had been a good one. He knew that the speedster probably wouldn't be interested in anything more tame, and this exclusive party seemed to be the perfect opportunity. He was also pleasantly surprised with how well Tommy took their need to sneak in through a window in order to attend. In fact, the speedster had even seemed excited about it.

Things were definitely going according to plan.

Hell, they were honestly going better. He hadn't _planned_ to kiss Tommy back on the ship, it had just sort of...happened. He had this big plain laid out; they were going to go to the party, dance a bit, introduce Tommy to some alien culture, and maybe, in the midst of all the excitement, just sort of...pull him in and _do it_. But...hell, he'd already done it, and now that he _had_ , he was pretty sure he could do it again. So yes, things were definitely going better than planned.

He followed Tommy for a moment, but stopped and tugged him in another direction, ignoring the speedster's protests. "Just trust me," he pressed, pulling him down a long hallway, doors lining either side. They had small, round lights next to the doors, indicating whether or not they were occupied, and he dragged Tommy down to the end of the hall. He found one that was empty, and tugged him in, shutting the door behind him and touching the control pad near the door so that the occupied light would turn on.

Tommy took a few steps into the room, looking at it in awe, and then immediately began exploring it, in a fashion very similar as to when they first arrived at the building. He rushed to the bar, then into the large bathroom, rattling away the whole time. "Holy shit what is this place? Do you know how to mix drinks I mean I don't even know what half of this stuff is and what the fuck? This bath is like basically a hot tub. Does it work like one? Dude what is this place, this is so badass I just can't even..." He turned to exit the bathroom, finding Noh-Varr leaning against the doorframe, his arms crossed and a smirk on his face.

"So I take it you're enjoying yourself." Tommy wasn't sure why, but Noh's words made him...embarrassed, almost. He suddenly felt slightly awkward, as if actually admitting aloud that he was happy was a crime of sorts. He gave as nonchalant of a shrug as possible, trying to play off his sudden lack of social capabilities.

"Well...ya know, I mean. I guess." Noh-Varr laughed, and Tommy immediately bristled. " _What_?" he asked, his fists curling out of reflex.

"Nothing, nothing. You're just...very _unique_."

Tommy gave a groan and shouldered past him, moving into the living room area and wondering why the hell he was having to fight away a blush. It may have been the fact that he didn't get very much positive attention, and while Noh's comment could have honestly been taken either way, after getting to know the alien he was pretty sure it was meant to be a good thing. He wandered to the bar, grabbing one of the bottles and peering at it, his lips pursed. "...So does the room a complimentary gift for people that sneak in, or are we breaking more rules, or what?" He refused to look at Noh, though he could practically _feel_ the alien approaching him from behind.

"Mm... Everyone invited is allowed a room for the duration of the party, though they're expected to leave the day after. Sometimes, the party lasts for days." He chuckled lowly, stopping just behind Tommy and reaching to lightly touch the bottle he was looking at, reading over its contents. "We can order drinks and food if we'd like, as well."

Tommy nodded, not wanting to say anything suddenly. Dammit, why did Noh have to be so _close_? It made him feel...flustered. He scowled at the bottle and then handing it off, giving a grunt and moving away to explore the rest of the room, feeling Noh's smile on his back as he did so. _Stupid alien_ , he thought bitterly, trying not to think too hard about their kiss earlier. He immediately had to catch himself for doing _exactly that_ , and bitterly guessed that this was all cleverly planned by Noh-Varr. He seemed to be pretty good about discreetly getting his way, after all.

As if on cue, Noh-Varr spoke up. "Have I ever mentioned that I have mind-control saliva? It can also cause hallucinations." Tommy immediately whirled around to face the alien, who was actually a lot closer than he had expected him to be, this stupid, infuriating little grin on his face. He scowled, backing away a few steps.

"...No. No, you didn't. What the hell? How much shit can you _do_?"

"A lot," came the kree's smug reply, but at the very least he didn't continue to pursue him, staying where he was and leaning against the wall casually. "But I thought that might be something that would interest you."

"Yeah? And why would that interest me?" Tommy nearly snapped, unsure of why he suddenly seemed so irritated.

Noh-Varr shrugged, looking perfectly casual and at ease. It irritated Tommy that the alien had so much self-control over his emotions in situations like these. Or maybe it was really just Tommy who was so worked up. The thought in itself was enough to irritate him further.

"You like taking risks, challenges, the like. I thought you might want a new experience.

Tommy had to admit, the offer was tempting. He eyed Noh-Varr suspiciously, lifting his chin up defiantly. "...What kind of hallucinations?"

"Any kind." Another shrug from the alien. "Things you could find in your worst nightmares, the best dreams...and... _other_ appealing scenarios." His smirk widened suggestively, and Tommy huffed in annoyance.

"Dude, I am _not_ looking for a wet dream."

Noh-Varr laughed. "I wasn't intending on giving you one. I prefer to seduce people through more... skillful means."

Tommy's cheeks burned, and he looked away, glancing back up to, once more, find Noh-Varr surprisingly close. He cursed under his breath; he was a speedster, dammit, why did this always take him by surprise? He could even tell when the other was drawing closer, just...actually seeing him there had a tendency to throw him off. It was stupid and annoying, and he didn't like the fact that he was once more being pushed back towards a wall, even if Noh wasn't actually touching him this time. He found himself once more boxed in, Noh-Varr's hands on either side of his shoulders, and he stared up at the larger man, tense.

"Why don't we..." Noh started, staring directly into Tommy's eyes, his gaze slightly intimidating and yet entrancing. "...Go try out the bath? And then I'll give you a taste of what I can do."

Tommy's breath hitched, and he swallowed thickly, forcing himself to stare back at Noh evenly, trying to project defiance and confidence despite how he was feeling right then. "...Sure," he commented, attempting a shrug. Noh smirked and pulled away, and Tommy was able to breathe again, pulling in a long breath of air and exhaling slowly before following him. "But...we're wearing our boxers in there. Briefs, whatever."

Noh-Varr shot him his own dazzling grin, and Tommy nearly faltered in his steps. "I don't wear _boxers_ , Tommy."

The speedster gave a dramatic sigh. "Oh, don't tell me you go commando." As a response, Noh-Varr unzipped his suit, peeling it off of his body and stepping out of it with practiced ease. Tommy gave the biggest roll of his eyes he possible could, and sighed. "You have no shame." Of course the stupid alien would be wearing friggin' whitey tighties. Tommy shrugged out of his clothes, crossing his arms and trying not to feel too terribly embarrassed while he waited for the tub to fill, because there was really no reason for him to be. He pursed his lips, distracting himself by seeing how the tub worked.

It had a sort of touch pad with all sorts of controls on it, and Noh worked it effortlessly. It wasn't until Tommy started waiting for the massive tub to fill that he realized that there was no faucet. He furrowed his brows, nudging Noh-Varr and starting to question him. "So... How exactly does it--" he cut off when, suddenly, parts of the tub opened to reveal slots all around the top, from which water started pouring in. His brows shot up, and decided that this place had impressed him yet again as he climbed in, carefully testing the heat of the water, which was perfect.

He sank down to sit, leaning back against the wall of the bath and laying his arms out against the ledge, contentedly watching the water pool around them. He gave a sigh, leaning his head back after a few moments and closing his eyes, listening as Noh-Varr climbed in after him. As soon as the water was high enough, silent jets kicked on, causing the water to churn and froth. He gave another sigh, sliding down a little bit more, but froze as he felt Noh-Varr move closer, fighting the urge to bite his lip and pull away. He opened his eyes slowly, meeting those of the kree, who was staring at him with a small smirk. He straightened slightly, lifting his head and giving in to the urge to bite down on his lower lip, chewing on it slightly.

Noh moved to straddle him, and his breath hitched again as the larger male hovered over him. He stared up at him, his lips pressed together, feeling his heart beat faster as the other lowered his head, gently pressing their lips together. Tommy reminded himself not to hold his breath, and kissed him back, opening his mouth and allowing Noh to deepen the kiss. It took a moment, but not long at all before he started to feel the effects. When he pulled away, Tommy’s eyes were hazed over, and he felt… _good_. He felt genuinely _nice_ in a way that he hadn’t in a really long time. Hell, he wasn’t sure he’d _ever_ felt so nice. He sighed, letting his head loll back to rest against the tub, and he sank further down. The jets from the bathtub were…amazing. Everything felt amazing and everything was just… _great_. Damn, this could get addicting.

He sat there for a while, soaking in the purely positive, _good_ feeling, his entire body and mind completely relaxed. As it finally began to wear off, he grew aware of his surroundings again, his eyes focusing and wandering up to meet the gaze of Noh-Varr, who was watching him with a small smile.

“...Did it feel nice?” he asked, almost gently, and Tommy nodded weakly in response.

“Y-yeah...it...it did.” His voice was a little soft as well, as he was still slightly hazy from the effect of the saliva.

“Good. I’ve noticed you rarely acknowledge or indulge yourself in your own happiness. I was hoping you would this time.”

His words affected Tommy, in a way that he wasn’t sure how to describe. Of _course_ he would notice something like that, something that Tommy himself had been unable to admit. He couldn’t find it in himself right then to be embarrassed, or mad that it had been pointed out to him, or anything of the sort. He was just...floored, really. He wasn’t sure how to respond, how to take that someone had actually _noticed_ that about him. It wasn’t something he did consciously, but he definitely resented the fact that no one really seemed to care when he was _un_ happy or hurt, something that had been proven to him time and time again.

He did the only thing his brain seemed to be able to wrap itself around doing. He pushed himself up, one hand braced against the side of the tub, his other arm hooking around Noh-Varr’s neck and tugging the alien closer as he pressed their lips together, kissing him fervently. The kiss was returned, and Noh pressed him back against the edge of the tub, deepening the kiss. Tommy shifted under him, arching against him and hitching up one of his legs. Noh slid easily between them, a hand moving to raise Tommy’s leg to wrap around his waist slightly, and while it was different, it felt...natural.

Noh rolled his hips forward and into Tommy’s, pulling a small groan from the back of his throat. He let his head fall back briefly, and Noh’s mouth immediately found his neck, pressing a few kisses before biting down experimentally. Tommy hissed lightly, his arm moving from around his neck so that he could shove his hand into the alien’s hair, knotting his fist there and yanking on it a bit. His other hand moved from the side of the tub to grip at Noh’s arm, his chest heaving as the alien continued to move against him. Their lips met again, this time with more force, and Noh shifted, steadily rolling his hips forward.

A short while later found Tommy gasping, his face flushed and his hand once more tangled in Noh’s hair as the alien kissed and nibbled at bit at his neck just behind his ear, his hips rolling forward with a little more force. A breathless groan escaped him as he found his release, tensing and panting as he clutched to Noh. The larger male followed suit a short while later, making a pleased noise against Tommy’s neck as he gently nuzzled the bruise he had caused. Tommy regained his breath after a few minutes, and said nothing, letting his head fall back against the side of the tub once more.

He was having a bit of a difficult time wrapping his mind around what had just happened, the fact that he had just had a sexual encounter with a _guy_ , but he found himself not really caring, enjoying the haze that he was currently in. He closed his eyes and sighed, taking a few deep and calming breaths as Noh-Varr settled in to sit beside him. He peeked his eyes open, quirking a brow as he saw the smirk he was given, and then rolled his eyes and shifted slightly, settling down more.

“You know? I think I’m…ready to get out,” he admitted, shifting to move. He stood up, moving to grab a towel and scrub himself down, unable to look directly at Noh. He pondered whether or not he should say anything for a moment, but all thoughts of “talking” disappeared as he caught a glimpse of himself in the mirror. “Aw, shit!” he complained, stepping closer to it and leaning in to inspect the dark, blooming hickies on his neck. He gave a groan, and shot Noh a glare when he chuckled. The alien gave a shrug and grabbed his own towel, scrubbing himself down and then throwing it around his neck as he walked for the bed, throwing down his towel and laying down on it so that his still-wet clothing rested on the cloth, rather than the sheets below it.

Tommy huffed and rolled his eyes, following suit and stretching out on the bed, turning his back to Noh-Varr, only to have the alien haul an arm around his waist and tug him in against his chest. Tommy sighed, pretending that it bothered him, and then accepted it and closed his eyes.

He could figure out what all this shit meant later. For now, he was just going to enjoy this.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> SWEET STUFF FOR A NIGHT OUT RIGHT. RIGHT.  
> i mean like...idk.  
> I will warn anyone following this, there will probably be a day or two upcoming where I won't be able to post on time for a day or so. Work is super crazy and this week is the craziest of all, which means a lot of overtime for me~
> 
> Also, this fic almost has a hundred hits! you guys r00l. Tunnel Snakes 4 lyfe.  
> I'm in a mood but it's a good one and I'm eternally grateful to all my readers and fans out there, each of you get all of my love and appreciation.


	6. Day 6: Wearing Each Other's Clothes

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Tommy is more than a little miffed when he comes home to find the Kree supersoldier stretching out his sweater...but that doesn't necessarily mean he's going to tell him to stop.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Forewarning: This chapter was not beta'd. I figured you guys had waited long enough, so I literally wrote it up at work, typed it out, and I'm posting it. So sorry for the long wait!
> 
> Don't forget to follow me on tumblr: my url is snarkylittlespeedster.

“What. Are you. _Doing_?” Tommy asked, frozen in the doorway to his apartment. Finding Noh-Varr in his home hardly surprised him at this point - the alien had developed a bad habit of breaking into his apartment whenever the mood struck him. What really got his attention was the fact that Noh was sporting one of his _sweaters_.

“Hmm? Oh, I’m attempting to cook your… ‘Macaroni and cheese’.” Noh-Varr looked up from the box with a stupidly dashing grin on his face, and Tommy palmed his face, giving a heavy sigh.

“ _No_ , dingus. What are you doing with my _sweater_?” He crossed his arms, but immediately threw one out to gesture at him. “I mean, why are you wearing it? You’re stretching it out!”

Noh looked a little wounded at the accusation, staring down at the fabric that was stretched across his chest. Tommy looked as well, but immediately tore his gaze away, scowling as he kicked the door shut.

“I was under the impression that it was an Earth custom to wear the clothes of the person you were romantically involved with.” He was nearly pouting by that point, drawing an aggravated sigh from the speedster.

“ _Please_ tell me you didn’t wear Kate’s clothes,” he grumbled, rubbing the bridge of his nose. He wanted to object to being told they were ‘romantically involved’, if only to preserve his own sanity, but he didn’t have the heart to when Noh was looking at him like a goddamned kicked puppy.

“No, but she would sometimes wear mine. I liked it,” he said simply, turning to his pot of boiling water. He tore off the top of the box to the mac and cheese, rolling it into a small cylinder and popping it into his mouth. 

Tommy was in the kitchen in a split second, wrenching the box from his hands. “Dammit, Noh! What have i ,i >told you about eating trash in my apartment? Do what you want on your ship, but don’t eat my trash. It’s… It’s mine.

” He wanted to argue that it was unsanitary or gross or just plain _weird_ , but he’d had the conversation with the Kree so many times he could practically recite it by heart. The only safe, neutral ground was to state that he owned it.

Noh-Varr held up his hands defensively and backed away from the kitchen. Tommy dumped the shells into the water, giving them a brisk stir to make sure they wouldn’t stick to the bottom of the pan before pulling away. he rubbed his hands together quickly and shoved his hands into his pockets, cursing his broken heater under his breath.

“Are you cold?” Noh asked, peering at him from the living area of the studio apartment. Tommy glanced in his direction, leering at him and raising a solitary brow at the reminder that Noh was wearing _his_ sweater, which was entirely too small for him.

“A bit. Seriously, isn’t that uncomfortable?”

Noh looked down at himself, holding his arms out and then fixing Tommy with another stupid, dazzling grin. “Not at all. I prefer well-fitting clothing. It’s less restricting than clothes that are too large. The extra fabric slows you down.”

“But that looks… _Too small_.”

“It feels perfectly fine. Would you like me to install a heating device into your apartment?”

“Uh…no, thanks.”

“Why not?”

“ _Because_ , Noh. not only am I not allowed to do construction on my apartment, but we’re trying _not_ to draw attention to the fact that I’m harboring an alien fugitive who was told he would be killed if he returned to the planet. Remember?”

Noh paused at that, seeming to realize the logic in Tommy’s words. “...Would you like me to take off your sweater?”

“What? Where did _that_ come from?” Tommy stared at him oddly, confused and mildly annoyed.

“Apparently I’m getting too comfortable here. I apologize. Would you like your sweater back?”

Tommy stared at him for a long moment, incredulous. Maybe he’d been too rude since walking in -- Well, hell, it was _his_ house! He had every right to be upset if his things were being messed with!

Noh’s hands went to them hem of the sweater to remove it, however, and Tommy found himself holding out a hand to stop him. “No, wait,” he said with a heavy sigh. “You can wear the damn sweater if you want to, okay?”

Noh immediately brightened despite the scowl that Tommy shot him in response, turning away and moving towards the bathroom. Tommy watched him go and then gave the most dramatic roll of his eyes he could muster, turning back to the mac and cheese and stirring it, pointedly ignoring the sound of Noh-Varr moving around behind him.

As soon as he set down the spoon again, thick fabric was pulled down over his head. He gave a muffled shout, realizing with a start that it was a sweater when it was yanked down into place. Noh-Varr didn’t give him the time to complain or even to pull his arms through before tugging it all the way down and wrapping his arms securely around him.

“Good,” he mumbled into Tommy’s neck. “Then you can wear mine.”

Tommy sat there in shock for a few moments, feeling a hot flush crawling up his neck and into his cheeks. Once the situation registered in his mind, he gave a loud, frustrated graon. “You _have_ a sweater? The why--? You know what? I don’t even care. Let me go, ya big cheeseball. The mac ‘n cheese is gonna burn.”

Noh-Varr gave a deep, rumbling chuckle, then withdrew his hold on Tommy. The speedster shoved his arms through the sleeves of the sweater, which fit over his jacket with near ease, and thugged them up enough to have his hands free to cook. “Damn roach,” he grumbled as Noh moved away into the living room once more. The stupid alien had probably planned this all along. Maybe _he_ broke the heater. No -- that was a little _too_ paranoid, but he wouldn’t put it past him to plan out the day’s events.

Noh-Varr took control of his stereo, and Tommy gave a little sigh, his eyes in fixed on the pot. He glanced at him briefly, finding the Kree shamelessly dancing to his music, and rolled his eyes. Noh caught his gaze and winked, giving him a cheeky grin and pulling a scoff from the speedster.

“You’re such a dork,” he said, moving the pot from the stove. He poured it into a strainer and waited for the water to drain, watching Noh dance. He pulled the sweater more securely around himself, waving away the steam that rose from the noodles. “‘S actually kinda warm,” he mumbled, leaning against the counter for a brief moment to watch Noh.

He shook the remaining water from the noodles, poured them back into the pot, and stirred in the cheese. Noh came up behind him, inhaling deeply and giving a satisfied hum.

“Smells good,” he commented, leaning in over Tommy’s shoulder. The speedster rolled his eyes.

“You know, if I’d let _you_ cook this, we’d have black crisps and half of a burned down apartment. He smirked, feeling Noh-Varr’s chuckle as much as he heard it when the alien pressed against his back, reaching to grab the spoon from Tommy and scoop out a piece.

He stopped quite abruptly, however, when he heard the sound of ripping fabric. Tommy pulled away, turning to look at him suspiciously. “...That was my sweater, wasn’t it.” There was no question in his voice, only a dry surrender to an answer he already knew.

Noh straightened slowly, giving Tommy the most calm and composed face the speedster had ever seen.

“...Of course not.”

Tommy threw up his hands, turned on his heel, and walked away. Something told him that he was going to have to get used to days like this.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Tommy is so stubborn.
> 
> Tell me if you liked it!


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